The Weasel with the Golden Coin of Grumelange

Theo’s father sat on the hillside above Grumelange tending his herd. The sun began to set and the air grew cold. Theo took a bowl of soup wrapped in linen and walked onto the narrow forest path. Suddenly, deep in the woods, he spotted a small weasel sitting upon a large rock. In its tiny mouth glimmered something golden – a coin that sparkled in the golden evening light.

Theo tried to catch the weasel, but the animal darted away and ran deeper into the forest. Each time Theo drew near, the weasel bounded forward, always just beyond reach. For hours Theo followed the little creature through forest shadows and over fallen logs. The weasel seemed to be deliberately leading him somewhere, as if it wanted to guide him to a particular place.

Finally the weasel stopped before an ancient oak tree. It dropped the golden coin and vanished into the brush. Theo bent down and picked up the coin. It was a genuine gold Louis d’or. Excited, he began to dig around the base of the tree. Not far beneath the fallen leaves, he found a small clay pot, completely filled with ancient golden coins. They gleamed in the moonlight.

Theo brought the treasure home to his father. His father saw the coins and immediately understood what had occurred. “The weasel,” he said solemnly, “is a spirit of the forest that rewards those with pure hearts.” The family used the gold coins wisely and poverty vanished from their lives. Every year on the same day, Theo brought breadcrumbs to the old oak tree in gratitude to the mysterious guardian of the forest.